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RTKL create a customised, branded environment to tell the Peeps story
To elevate brand awareness, retailer Just Born Inc., sought to establish a retail presence for its popular line of candy products. From collaborating on the naming, to developing the store’s brand positioning, RTKL created a fully customized, branded environment to tell the Peeps story. The 3,700 SF flagship store Peeps and Company™ opened in National Harbor, Maryland in 2009.
To communicate each product’s uniqueness under the overall brand, the designers created a storybook concept set within an experiential environment where the products are stars on a stage. All resources, from lighting, sound and video technology to interior finishes and materials were carefully selected to bring the products to life in an integrated sensory retail experience. The story begins the moment a customer walks through the front doors as shoppers are greeted with a giant glowing Peep physically centered in a modern white backdrop punctuated by four zones of individual brand colors.
Flanked by a Mike And Ike® bulk candy wall housed in a giant graphic equalizer on one side and a Hot Tamales® ‘How Hot are You’ thermometer on the other, the giant Peep sets the mood with the color of its glow. Since the brands are driven by the time of year, the theme of the retail environment transitions with thousands of color-changing LED lights as the seasons roll by. The lights tell their story visually while the sounds sell the various brands with a sonic branded sensorial playbook of music and video. The combination of innovative branding, environmental graphics, interior design features and technology create a successful and compelling retail experience for the visitor and consumer. The store is also built to LEED-CI Silver standards and is currently seeking certification from the USGBC.